Listening to a composed jazz band is very entertaining. When members are well practiced, it obviously shows in their performance. However, a “ jazz performance” is composed of many different aspects including: accuracy of written sheet music, tone, articulation of notes, interaction with audience, and especially improvisation skills. Jazz improvisation is one of most important aspects of jazz. It is incredible to hear a musician composing on the spot. Creating quality self-made melodies based off a rolling rhythm section is truly brilliant. Since my days of high school jazz band are over, I arrived at the Performing Arts Center eager to hear the level of improvisation college students are playing at. Each member of the Monday combo and Tuesday
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The first song played was “Seven Steps of Heaven” by Miles Davis. I found it particularly interesting that a trumpet player wasn’t incorporated into the band. Their improvisation would be worth discussing hence playing a Miles Davis tune. However, the alto saxophone did a fine job. He played in a fast tempo with a hot mood. Since the song is naturally fast, I was amazed how quickly he was creating new improvisation melodies. It seemed he made sure to play the full musical spectrum- broad range of low to high notes. It was obvious that the rhythm section, which incorporated the guitar, bass, and drums, accompanied the sax during his solo. The soloist changed modes when the rhythm section did; therefore, I would say the rhythm section was leading from the back. With prior knowledge and a once reliable music ear, I could tell the alto sax musician (along with the others) was using the technique of targeting during his improvisation. Targeting is very common tactic where the musician purposely plays the tones of a cord presented by the rhythm section. He played the first, third, fifth, and seventh notes frequently to be in semi-unison, for lack of a better term, with the rhythm section. I only state that observation because to me, he sounded in harmony during beats one and four of each
The first song played was “Seven Steps of Heaven” by Miles Davis. I found it particularly interesting that a trumpet player wasn’t incorporated into the band. Their improvisation would be worth discussing hence playing a Miles Davis tune. However, the alto saxophone did a fine job. He played in a fast tempo with a hot mood. Since the song is naturally fast, I was amazed how quickly he was creating new improvisation melodies. It seemed he made sure to play the full musical spectrum- broad range of low to high notes. It was obvious that the rhythm section, which incorporated the guitar, bass, and drums, accompanied the sax during his solo. The soloist changed modes when the rhythm section did; therefore, I would say the rhythm section was leading from the back. With prior knowledge and a once reliable music ear, I could tell the alto sax musician (along with the others) was using the technique of targeting during his improvisation. Targeting is very common tactic where the musician purposely plays the tones of a cord presented by the rhythm section. He played the first, third, fifth, and seventh notes frequently to be in semi-unison, for lack of a better term, with the rhythm section. I only state that observation because to me, he sounded in harmony during beats one and four of each